Tessa's Recipe Rundown...

Taste: Like a peanut butter cup in cheesecake form.
Texture: Smooth and creamy!
Ease: The layers are fairly easy to put together and the crust comes together quickly too.
Appearance: The layers make this an impressive dessert!
Pros: It’s full of peanut butter and chocolate.
Cons: It takes a few hours to cool and chill, but it’s so worth it!
Would I make this again? Definitely!

Please welcome Danielle from Live Well Bake Often as she shares her first recipe on Handle the Heat! If you love scrumptious treats, be sure to check out her beautiful blog! -Tessa

I’m pretty sure I go through a jar of peanut butter quicker than most people. Of course, I also love combining peanut butter with chocolate into different desserts like cookie cakes and no-bake pies. There’s just something about the combination of the two that just can’t be beat. And after trying these Layered Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Bars, I think I may have found my new favorite dessert!

One of my favorite things about these bars is how gorgeous the layers look, but they’re still fairly easy to make. The crust comes together quickly with just a few ingredients and once it’s baked, you’ll set it aside and mix up the cheesecake layers.

I suggest working carefully and using an angled spatula if you have one to smooth out each layer of cheesecake filling. After I smooth out the peanut butter layer, I prefer to spoon the chocolate cheesecake filling in different spots and then gently smooth it out. It does take a little time and patience, but I can assure you that it’s not too difficult!

Once you’re finished smoothing out the layers, you’ll pop the cheesecake into the oven and bake it for about 35 minutes. Once it’s finished baking, you’ll let it cool completely on a wire rack and then refrigerate it for a few more hours.

Honestly, I think the hardest part of making this cheesecake is just waiting for it to cool and chill in the refrigerator. Once it’s finished chilling, you can slice the cheesecake into 16 smaller bars or 9 larger bars.

These bars are really such a fun and impressive dessert and would be perfect to bring along to any party! I’m definitely planning on making another batch of these the first chance I get. I hope you enjoy these bars as much as my family and I did!

How to make

Layered Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Bars

Layered Peanut Butter Chocolate Cheesecake Bars feature two decadent layers of peanut butter and chocolate cheesecake on top of an Oreo crust.

Ingredients

For the crust

18Oreo cookies

3tablespoonsbutter, melted

For the peanut butter cheesecake layer

8ouncescream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/4cupcreamy peanut butter

1/4cupgranulated sugar

1/2teaspoonvanilla extract

1large egg, at room temperature

For the chocolate cheesecake layer

8ouncescream cheese, softened to room temperature

1/4cupgranulated sugar

2ouncessemisweet chocolate, melted and slightly cooled

1/2teaspoonvanilla extract

1large egg, at room temperature

Directions

For the crust:

Preheat oven to 325°F. Line an 8-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, making sure to leave some overhang for easy removal, and set aside. Add the Oreos to the bowl of a food processor and process until you have fine crumbs. Add in the melted butter and process until all of the crumbs are moistened.

Scoop the mixture into the prepared baking pan and press it down firmly in an even layer. Bake at 325°F for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.

For the peanut butter cheesecake layer:

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the granulated sugar, peanut butter, and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined. Add in the egg and mix on low speed until well combined. Set aside.

For the chocolate cheesecake layer:

In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the cream cheese until smooth. Add in the granulated sugar, melted chocolate, and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined. Add in the egg and mix on low speed until well combined. Set aside.

To make the cheesecake:

Pour the peanut butter cheesecake filling over the prepared crust. Spread the mixture evenly over the crust, making sure to smooth the top out as well as possible. Gently add the chocolate cheesecake filling on top of the peanut butter cheesecake filling and smooth the top out. Bake at 325°F for about 35 minutes or until set. Remove from the oven and cool completely in the pan on a wire rack (for about two hours). Transfer to the refrigerator for about 3 hours or until the cheesecake is completely chilled. Lift the cheesecake out of the pan with the foil and slice into bars.

Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days.

Course:
Dessert

Cuisine:
American

If you make this recipe, be sure to snap a picture and share it on Instagram with #handletheheat so we can all see!

Recipe byDanielle Rye

About Danielle...

Danielle is a self-taught baker and the blogger behind Live Well, Bake Often. She loves spending time in the kitchen creating new recipes to share with her readers as well as sharing tips to help them along the way. When she's not in the kitchen baking, she's usually spending time with her husband and three dogs.

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